Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the fatty acid binding protein 4, fatty acid synthase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase genes influence carcass characteristics of tropical crossbred beef steers

This study explored the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), and fatty acid synthase (FASN) genes that may influence the carcass traits of tropical crossbred beef cattle. The hypothesis tested was that SNP in the FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes are associated with chiller-assessed carcass traits of tropically adapted northern Australian crossbred beef cattle. Fifty Bos indicus and Bos taurus crossbred steers were backgrounded on either buffel grass only, or buffel grass and desmanthus mixed pastures for 147 days and finished in a commercial feedlot for 110 days. Steers were slaughtered within 48 h of leaving the feedlot within a lairage period not exceeding 12 h and carcasses graded 12 h after slaughter. Next-generation sequencing of the FASN, FABP4, and SCD genes identified multiple SNP loci that were correlated and significantly associated with carcass traits. The FABP4 g.44677205A>G locus was significantly associated with hump height and correlated with loin eye muscle area (EMA; p A locus was associated with subcutaneous fat depth and marbling score (p < 0.05). The CC genotype had a higher subcutaneous fat depth and marbling score (p < 0.05) than the AA genotype. Significant correlations were observed between carcass marbling score and subcutaneous fat depth within the FASN SNP locus (p < 0.05). Therefore, the hypothesis that SNP in the FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes are associated with chiller-assessed carcass traits of tropically adapted northern Australian crossbred beef cattle was accepted. These findings suggest that SNP in the FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes may be used in carcass grading and meat quality improvement through marker-assisted selection of northern Australian crossbred beef cattle

Nutritional modelling for enhanced livestock productivity in the rangelands of northern Ghana in response to pasture improvement with an adapted tropical legume species

Low digestibility and crude protein concentrations in native pastures compels some nomadic livestock herders in the rangelands of northern Ghana to burn mature and dry forage to encourage regrowth with better nutritive characteristics. This practice, however, typically leads to pasture scarcity in the dry season (Nov-Apr) so that animals lose weight sometimes leading to mortalities. One possible solution to this problem is to introduce an adapted legume with the aim of increasing protein and dry matter intake during the dry season. Currently, there are no data to support this proposition and provide estimates of likely responses of livestock to the introduction of a legume in this grazing system. The main objective of this study was to use the Grazfeed® program to estimate the potential increase in productivity of lambs in response to incorporation of an adapted tropical legume in native Hyperthelia dissoluta (Yellow thatching grass) pastures typical of northern Ghana. Modelling was conducted for unimproved pasture (0% Legume) and improved pasture (30% legume) for both the dry season (November –April) and wet season (May–October). Values for crude protein (CP) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) were as reported by Skerman and Riveros (1990) (Table 1). Values used for green and dead pasture mass of unimproved pasture ranged from 0 to 1.5 and 1.0 to 1.5 T DM/ha, respectively, in the dry season and 1.0 to 3.5 and 0.5 to 1.0 T DM/ha, respectively, in the wet season. Values used for green and dead pasture mass of improved pasture ranged from 0.5 to 3.0 and 1.0 to 2.0 T DM/ha, respectively, in the dry season and 1.0 to 4.0 and 0.5 to 1.0 T DM/ha, respectively, in the wet season. Lambs were classed as 'small Merino' at 20kg liveweight and an average age of 6 months with 1.5 cm fleece as this was the closest match to the Djallonke breed commonly farmed in Ghana. Modelling suggested acceptable weight gains from native pastures could be expected in the wet and early dry seasons, but with weight loss occurring late in the dry season. This is consistent with observations. Modelling suggested that pasture improvement would result in positive weight gains year round with the largest benefit occurring in the dry season. The study concluded that improving native pastures by incorporating an adapted legume at an average 30% of total dry matter would significantly enhance the productivity of livestock in the rangelands of northern Ghana and would avoid the need for the burning of native pastures in the dry season

Towards sustainable sources of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in Northern Australian tropical crossbred beef steers through single nucleotide polymorphisms in lipogenic genes for meat eating quality

This study aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in lipogenic genes of northern Australian tropically adapted crossbred beef cattle and to evaluate associations with healthy lipid traits of the Longissimus dorsi (loin eye) muscle. The hypothesis tested was that there are significant associations between SNP loci encoding for the fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) and fatty acid synthase (FASN) genes and human health beneficial omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 LC-PUFA) within the loin eye muscle of northern Australian crossbred beef cattle. Brahman, Charbray, and Droughtmaster crossbred steers were fed on Rhodes grass hay augmented with desmanthus, lucerne, or both, for 140 days and the loin eye muscle sampled for intramuscular fat (IMF), fat melting point (FMP), and fatty acid composition. Polymorphisms in FABP4, SCD, and FASN genes with significant effects on lipid traits were identified with next-generation sequencing. The GG genotype at the FABP4 g.44677239C>G locus was associated with higher proportion of linoleic acid than the CC and CG genotypes (p T locus indicated that the TT genotype had significantly higher eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids than GG genotype (p < 0.05). Significant correlations (p < 0.05) between FASN SNP and IMF, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were observed. These results provide insights into the contribution of lipogenic genes to intramuscular fat deposition and SNP marker-assisted selection for improvement of meat-eating quality, with emphasis on alternate and sustainable sources of ω3 LC-PUFA, in northern Australian tropical crossbred beef cattle, hence an acceptance of the tested hypothesis

Influence of crop residue ration supplementation on the attainment of puberty and postpartum reproductive activities of Red Sokoto goats

The general objective of this study was to come up with an appropriate, affordable and locally available crop residue supplementation package that would enhance reproductive performance in small ruminants. Specifically, 28 Red Sokoto weaner does between 3 and 4 months of age weighing between 2 and 3 kg were used in the first experiment to determine the influence of crop residue supplementation on age and weight at puberty as determined by blood progesterone levels. In the second experiment, another 28 adult does (equal to or greater than 2 years old) of the same breed in the same flock with lactation numbers between 1 and 3 were used to determine the length of postpartum acyclic period. In both experiments, a 3 x 2 factorial experimental design comprising three dietary supplements (A, B, C) at two feeding levels (1% and 2% of body weight) fed in addition to a basal diet of Digitaria smutsii hay and natural pasture ad libitum with an unsupplemented negative control group (D) and four goats per treatment was utilized. In ration A, a conventional concentrate supplement consisting of maize, wheat offal, cottonseed cake and bonemeal was utilized; in rations B and C, the supplement consisted of guinea-corn bran, cowpea husk and groundnut haulms; and maize offal, groundnut shells and groundnut haulms respectively. Unsupplemented (ration D) weaner does reached puberty at a later age and had lighter body weights than all the others. Weaner does on ration 2A (concentrate fed at 2% of body weight) attained puberty at the earliest age and heaviest body weight, although the age at puberty was not significantly different from those on rations 1A (concentrate fed at 1% body weight), 1C and 2C. Blood progesterone profiles before and after puberty ranged from 0.05 to 9.0 ng/ml, respectively, and was highest in does fed rations A and C and least in the unsupplemented does. The mean interval between kidding and initiation of ovarian activity was 54.28 plus or minus 17.61 days and the mean interval between kidding and conception was 63.04 plus or minus 25.34 days. Only 25% of the unsupplemented does conceived again during the period under study compared with 100% in rations 1A, 2A, 1C and 2C; 75% in ration 2B and 50% in ration 1B. It was concluded that implementation of supplementary feeding in the dry season improves reproductive performance in the Red Sokoto doe. Furthermore, ration C, a crop residue-based ration, was a suitable dry season supplementation alternative to the expensive conventional concentrate ration for the smallholder goat farmer in the subhumid tropics of Nigeria

Understanding medical students' transformative experiences of early pre-clinical international rural placement over a 20-year period

Introduction Rural placements are an important component of rural medical education programs seeking to develop rural practice pathways for medical students. These placements are usually domestic, but James Cook University in Australia developed an international rural placement program in the first half of the medical course that was funded through bursaries. This study explores how the international rural placement helped to shape the lives (personal development and learning) of the participants, using Transformational Learning Theory as a framework for identifying and describing the transformational elements, process and impact of the program. Methods Sixty-five students received a bursary for an international rural placement between 2001–2019. All were contacted by email and invited to participate in a short survey and a follow-up interview. Fifteen participants agreed and twelve were able to participate in individual semi-structured interviews which were recorded, transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results Participants reported that the bursary provided a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to “experience eye-opening and culturally rich difference”. Nonetheless, some elements of the placement experience presented disorientating dilemmas that triggered deep reflections and shifts in perceptions. The bursary recipients realised that “being open-minded” allowed them “enjoy good company”. They were also able to assume “outsider view which allowed reassessment of their own country” and the “isolation experiences gingered desire to right health wrongs”. The triggers and mental shifts had significant impact on the bursary recipients and fostered the development of “inspirational new horizons” based on an appreciation of the “value of rural practice” and “role-modelling for life-long learning.” These findings are consistent with Transformational Learning Theory. Conclusion Participants in this study reported meaningful and strongly positive impacts from the experiences gained during an international rural clinical placement early in their course. They described transformative experiences which appear to contribute strongly to personal development. This finding supports maintaining opportunities for international experiences during rurally-oriented medical programs as these may impact longer term career choice

“Could You Work in My Team?”: Exploring How Professional Clinical Role Expectations Influence Decision-Making of Assessors During Exit-Level Medical School OSCEs

Decision-making in clinical assessment, such as exit-level medical school Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), is complex. This study utilized an empirical phenomenological qualitative approach with thematic analysis to explore OSCE assessors' perceptions of the concept of a “prototypical intern” expressed during focus group discussions. Topics discussed included the concept of a prototypical intern, qualities to be assessed, and approaches to clinical assessment decision-making. The thematic analysis was then applied to a theoretical framework (Cultural Historical Activity Theory—CHAT) that explored the complexity of making assessment decisions amidst potentially contradicting pressures from academic and clinical perspectives. Ten Australasian medical schools were involved with 15 experienced and five less experienced assessors participating. Thematic analysis of the data revealed four major themes in relation to how the prototypical intern concept influences clinical assessors' judgements: (a) Suitability of marking rubric based on assessor characteristics and expectations; (b) Competence as final year student vs. performance as a prototypical intern; (c) Safety, trustworthiness and reliability as constructs requiring assessment and (d) Contradictions in decision making process due to assessor differences. These themes mapped well within the interaction between two proposed activity systems in the CHAT model: academic and clinical. More clinically engaged and more experienced assessors tend to fall back on a heuristic, mental construct of a “prototypical intern,” to calibrate judgements, particularly, in difficult situations. Further research is needed to explore whether consensus on desirable intern qualities and their inclusion into OSCE marksheets decreases the cognitive load and increases the validity of assessor decision making

Examiners\u27 decision‐making processes in observation-based clinical examinations

Background: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are commonly used to assess the clinical skills of health professional students. Examiner judgement is one acknowledged source of variation in candidate marks. This paper reports an exploration of examiner decision making to better characterise the cognitive processes and workload associated with making judgements of clinical performance in exit‐level OSCEs. Methods: Fifty‐five examiners for exit‐level OSCEs at five Australian medical schools completed a NASA Task Load Index (TLX) measure of cognitive load and participated in focus group interviews immediately after the OSCE session. Discussions focused on how decisions were made for borderline and clear pass candidates. Interviews were transcribed, coded and thematically analysed. NASA TLX results were quantitatively analysed. Results: Examiners self‐reported higher cognitive workload levels when assessing a borderline candidate in comparison with a clear pass candidate. Further analysis revealed five major themes considered by examiners when marking candidate performance in an OSCE: (a) use of marking criteria as a source of reassurance; (b) difficulty adhering to the marking sheet under certain conditions; (c) demeanour of candidates; (d) patient safety, and (e) calibration using a mental construct of the \u27mythical [prototypical] intern\u27. Examiners demonstrated particularly higher mental demand when assessing borderline compared to clear pass candidates. Conclusions: Examiners demonstrate that judging candidate performance is a complex, cognitively difficult task, particularly when performance is of borderline or lower standard. At programme exit level, examiners intuitively want to rate candidates against a construct of a prototypical graduate when marking criteria appear not to describe both what and how a passing candidate should demonstrate when completing clinical tasks. This construct should be shared, agreed upon and aligned with marking criteria to best guide examiner training and calibration. Achieving this integration may improve the accuracy and consistency of examiner judgements and reduce cognitive workload

Quality assurance of assessment processes

Assessment is used by medical education provider institutions for the purposes of improving learning outcomes and ensuring accountability for learning and teaching practices. Although assessment goals and responsibilities involve administrators, educators and students; improving learning for students lies squarely in the hands of educators, whose responsibility is to develop valid and reliable assessment instruments that both drive learning and provide evidence to stakeholders, such as employers, of the quality of education provided. Societal expectations make it imperative that medical educators adopt robust quality assured assessment processes that are both fair and defensible. This chapter begins with a general overview of the importance, rationale and principles of quality assurance (QA) of assessment in medical education. Next, it explores approaches and mechanisms of ensuring QA, using examples and case scenarios. The chapter concludes by emphasising the significance and need for continuous quality improvement of assessment practices and processes